1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a shoulder pad which can be easily and efficiently formed in an economic fashion by a substantially automated process, comprising a plurality of interconnected hinged panels which form the integral pad, and which are readily formed into a laminate structure of desired thickness for subsequent use in a garment and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
While the prior art generally discloses the broad concept of partially cutting a workpiece and folding the workpiece on itself to obtain a multi-layered structure, it does not disclose the hinged shoulder pad and method of forming the same according to the present invention. Typical of such prior art is the Gauthier U.S. Pat. No. 2,359,475, wherein there is disclosed a method of making filter elements, with the filter comprising a plurality of hingedly connected circular members connected at a point on their circumference such that the members can be folded over onto the adjoining member. The problem exists, however, of potential misalignment of these members. Subsequent to the members being assembled, they are secured in place by means of an adhesive coating. Another prior are disclosure is that of the Magidson U.S. Pat. No. 3,939,023, which discloses a method of fabricating a brassiere pad that involves making a single cut in a rectangular fiberfull sheet. Thereafter, the parts of the sheet on either side of the cut are folded over, e.g. as shown in FIG. 3, to form a triangular piece and the overlapping areas are bonded over their entire surface. The thickness of the pad can be increased by the addition of separate individual fillers. The folded piece is then heat molded and the pieces are held together prior to such heat molding by means of a bonding agent. Still yet another prior art disclosure is that of Ray, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 4,342,610, which discloses a method for intermittently slitting and folding fibrous insulation. According to this prior art method, a plurality of fibrous hinges are provided for connecting a plurality of fibrous batts, and an adhesive is used to laminate the batts to form a relatively thick insulation product. Other prior art disclosures which are illustrative of various methods of forming shoulder pads include the Skirow U.S. Pat. No. 2,676,328, wherein there is disclosed a series of discs between backing layers and which includes a stiffener. The formed mass is then cut in half and the entire assembly thereafter is compressed in a preheated molding die. The Werner U.S. Pat. No. 2,902,695, discloses a pad which is stitched while held in a curved position, and the Kagan U.S. Pat. No. 2,442,008, discloses a pad made from a single piece of material which is elliptical and is folded over upon itself to form a pad. The open edges are subsequently sewed together. The Diamond U.S. Pat No. 2,461,881, discloses another method of making a pad which includes a thermoplastic member between the folds of a bat. Yamauchi, U.S. Pat. No. 4,332,633, discloses a method of producing a shoulder pad blank wherein a piece of shoulder pad stock is sinusoidally cut into two intermediate blanks which fit into each other. The Bernstein U.S. Pat. No. 2,476,798, discloses a method of forming a shoulder pad which includes a fragrance of perfume.
All of the foregoing prior art disclosures and methods of forming shoulder pads suffer from various deficiencies which are not found in the present invention. For example, none of the prior art devices disclose the particular feature of combining a hinged shoulder pad according to the present invention which utilizes only a single tack point such as a stitch or a weld for holding the pad in place prior to the heat molding step. Nor is there disclosed a hinged shoulder pad comprising a plurality of pre-formed panels of integral varying desired sizes which are hingedly interconnected to form a unitary integral member, which panels are adapted for being interfolded in such a manner as to form a laminated shoulder pad which is readily adaptable for being heat molded throughout. Such a pad is molded throughout--not just at edges. Such a pad particularly lends itself to being formed in an automated process. Some of the particular advantages which are associated with the present invention are that the operator does not have to assemble each of the individual pieces which normally comprises the shoulder pads of the prior art. Instead, the operator is able to have the complete shoulder pad in front of her and merely is required to interfold the pieces in the desired arrangement preparatory to forming the shoulder pad in the heat mold. Alternatively, this could also be accomplished by means of an automated process with suitable machinery and equipment. Another advantage is that only a single tack is required prior to the step of heat molding of the pad. Finally, the fact that each of the panels comprising the pad are integrally connected together by the hinges will avoid the problem encountered by a pad comprised of separate pieces which is that they tend to separate during washing and/or dry cleaning of the garment in which the pad is located.
Typically, shoulder pads for use in garments such as ladies dresses, suits and the like have been made by precutting quadrangular pieces of material which are then manually stacked in a desired height by an operator. Thereafter, the stacked pieces are tacked in approximately four or five places at the corners and at the center to hold the pieces in position. This sandwich arrangement then is treated in a heat and pressure mold to form the shoulder pad. Various problems are associated with this prior art technique, not the least of which is that the operator must hand-position each of the component pieces which often are misaligned and require a plurality, i.e. at least four tacks which may be stitches or adhesive, in order to hold the pieces in position as the male shoulder mold is lowered onto the female shoulder mold in order to form the pad.
The shoulder pad and method of forming such a shoulder pad according to the present invention avoids the aforedescribed disadvantages.